Using a shrimp to cycle a new tank

[Shalco]

Hey everyone,
Just picked up my tank yesterday and got everything set up. I got live sand from a fellow reefer here on MR which was wet and in a bucket a, dry rock from someone on CL, and got premixed salt RODI water from my LRS. I have been told to cycle my tank with a shrimp from some folks here on MR, but I have a few questions regarding that.

1. Cooked or raw shrimp?
2. How often do I need to replace the shrimp?
3. How long should I keep using the shrimp.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks
David

 

[Shalco]

Couple other things, the tank is a solana. All I have are bio-balls in the middle chamber right now. My LRS told me to wait a few weeks before I start up the protein skimmer as well wait a few weeks before I start using my lights. Any thoughts on this advice. Thanks again.

 

[Imbarrie]

I don't think shrimp is need to cycle a tank. You would want to set the whole system up and running for a while.
After you get some test results you can sprinkle some fish food in the tank. That will get all over the tank instead of just one spot.

What sized tank and what do you intend to stock it with?
You can probably lose the bio balls.

 

[JOHANNA]

the shrimp needs to be uncooked "raw". Just put it in the water with your system running except for the skimmer. It will be a good source of food for the bacteria that you need to promote. The entire shrimp will consumed by the bacteria. It is an excellent way to jump start your cycle.

 

[JOHANNA]

You should also get a piece of live rock. It can be small. You will need this to seed your dry rock. It will also help introduce beneficial bacteria into your tank. If you google nitrogen cycle you can see the entire cycleing process.

Good Luck

 

[Imbarrie]

That shrimp will sit there doing absolutely nothing. You don't have the bacteria in your tank to consume something of that size.
The shrimp itself will not populate your tank.
Stay away.

 

[Shalco]

Its a 34 gallon solana, the guy I bought the tank from had the bioballs in it already, I didn't think I needed it and the guy from my LRS said i didnt as well, but figured it was already in there and I'm not sure what i was going to put in there, so I just kept it for now.

Planning on having mainly corals (SPS, LPS, softs, zoas, etc) and a few reef friendly fish (only 3 - 4). I have a current 150w hqi with 4 atinics, should support all corals, I previously had 130 w power compact in my old tank (had to break that down 2 yrs ago when i moved to NY) so any advice on the lights are appreciated. My main concern is just heat output at this point but I got the adjustable arms so hopefully wont be a problem.

Thanks for the help

 

[Shalco]

Got two small peices of established rock yesterday as well and is in the tank.

Don't have the shrimp in there yet, forgot to buy it when I was at the grocery store yesterday. Will probably get it later unless someone else has any better advice.

imbarrie, any advice on seeding my tank. I've heard about the shrimp from a few people. The guy at my LRS was trying to sell me some fish food, i forget what, to use instead to seed the tank. I don't think the shrimp will necessarily be consumed, but some small breakdown of it will provide ammonia for the bacteria to cycle.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

Thanks all

 

[Shalco]

Also, i'm planning on letting the tank cycle for about 6 weeks. I'm moving around then and I'm trying to get the tank set up so that after I move it, I'll let it sit for a few days and will check the water quality, and then i will be able to start adding things

 

[Fishluva513]

Buy 10 gallons of water from ur lfs and ur tank would cycle in no time

 

[skene]

Buy 10 gallons of water from ur lfs and ur tank would cycle in no time

Worst advice ever... do not use any water from your lfs.
Just follow the guidelines with the shrimp. It's easy simple... take your time do not rush into things with this hobby.
You'll be astonished how much better everything will be if you just read and took your time enjoying the hobby rather than hope and pray for the best.

 

[Fishluva513]

If ur starting a new tank. Adding Water from a established tank is one of the fastest ways to cycle ur tank in my opinion

 

[skene]

bacteria needed to establish a tank does not colonize in the water column.
Established substrate and live rock would be quicker ways, however you always run risks of introducing pests into your system.

 

[Imbarrie]

Well you can tell there are many opinions concerning this.
I would throw some fish food in the tank to help start the cycle. The shrimp is just going to sit there looking like a rotting corpse until you go in and take it out.
It's just unnecessary when fish food does the same thing but with a much better distribution.

 

[kidninja]

i used a shrimp to start my cycle 10000000% worked
all i had in the tank was dry sand (NOT LIVE) a bunch of dry marco rock, and maybe like less than 10lbs of live rock. i put the shrimp in a plastic cup and let it rot, trust me you'll see it rotting. after about a week and half or so i took the shrimp out and the smell was ridiculous! so if anything toss it outside right away, dont put it in your home trash can ya know

you can check it out there: http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/tank-threads/91219-kidninjas-65g-tank-build-15.html (post #114)

then i would say you can start testing after about a week after you put the shrimp in

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

A pinch of fish food will accomplish the same thing in a tank this size.

Since you have the bio media in the tank leave it for now and slowly take one piece out at a time every day.

 

[Master Shake]

please never use this shrimp idea or fish food idea ever, it is a terrible idea and i have no clue why someone would come up with it. there is no bacteria in the tank to break down the shrimp/food so it is useless. In a newly established tank the tank needs to grow bacteria to break down dead matter AKA your shrimp/food. like said above bacteria does not colonize in the water column, there is bacteria in the water column but such a minimal amount as compared to the rock and sand. its mainly in the filter, sand bed and live rock. Never put water from any other tank in your tank, even if its your best buddy with the greatest looking reef ank in the entire world. the best way to cycle a tank is to go the natural way, get some live rock, live sand or if that is out of the question get a dirty filter pad fresh out of someones tank, squeeze out the water and put it in yours. The instant cycle bottles sold in lfs are a waste of money. That is the best way, o and please stop spreading the advice on the uncooked shrimp

 

[Shalco]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'm going to ask the people at my LFS their opinion on how to seed the tank. I know the most important thing is taking my time with it, and that is why I decided to set the tank up before I move, so I would not be tempted to start adding fish/corals early.

My brother, and someone at a different LFS, suggested adding a hardy fish to the tank to provide the necessary ammonia to cycle the tank. Anyone have any thoughts on this??

The live sand I bought was from a fellow MR guy, it was still wet but was sitting in a bucket, I think it should still be "live." I also got two small rocks from this guy that was cycled and was sitting in a bucket in water with other rock. The majority of the rock in the tank I bought dry from someone who never used it (got it for a $1/lbs, thought it was worth it even though i have to cycle it knowing that I wasn't going to add livestock until after I move (End of april/beginning of may).

Lastly, does anyone have any thoughts to adding snails or hermit crabs at this point??

Thanks

 

[skene]

do not add anything in the tank if the tank itself has a minimal amount of bacteria.
A fish... no. A crab... no. A snail... no.

Would you ever want to live in a house that has no walls, no heat, no bathroom?
No. Will it keep you warm and dry? No. Because it would not be an ideal environment for living. The same concept applies for any livestock. Putting them in a tank where there is no bacteria, would be like rehoming a lobster in a pot.


And Master Shake... no offense but how do you not figure that bacteria is not on a dead shrimp? Ever gotten diarrhea from poorly cooked food? That's because airborne bacteria start colonizing on food. This is why it is essential to thoroughly cook food.
Why does a shrimp assist in colonizing bacteria? Because 1 it's from the ocean, even thought you purchase it from supermarket, its laid on ice and out of water moisture from within and any residual water that is trapped within the shrimp itself will come out and start to feed on that shrimp.

 

[Imbarrie]

How long was the sand sitting in the bucket? Sand doesn't last more than a couple days before the life in it starts to rot.

I always find some of the advice is better in here than at LFS. Stores are in business and it is tough to separate the stores just out to get you to buy something from the ones who care.